Adjustable tractor wheel mounting



Feb. 5, 1952 w, ABNEY 2,584,410

ADJUSTABLE TRACTOR WHEEL MOUNTING Filed Aug. 19, 1949 2 SHEET SSHEET 1 Inventor WILLIAM G. A BN EY Attorney W. G. ABNEY ADJUSTABLE TRACTOR WHEEL MOUNTING Feb. 5, 1952 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed Aug. 19, 1949 I Inventor WILLIAM G. ABNEY Attorney Patented Feb. 5, 1952 ADJUSTABLE TRACTOR MOUNTING William G. Abney, Drexel, Mo., assig'nor of forty per cent to Stephen J. Hruska, Paola, Kans.

Application August 19, 1949, Serial No; 111,230

1 Claim.

1 The present invention relates to adjustable tractor Wheel mountings and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts herein described and claimed.

Generally there is provided an especially constructed hub having novel means whereby the same may be locked in selected positions upon a tractor axle having a pair of diametrically opposed longitudinally extending keyways for receiving locking keys carried by the hub.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of the character set forth which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and efiective and eificient in use.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in a device of the character set forth, of novel means for looking a hub in selected positions upon an axle.

A further object of the invention is the provision, in a device of the character set forth of novel key retaining means forming a part of the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character set forth which is capable of being used on either side of an axle.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character set forth which cannot be accidentally dislodged from an axle.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a device for changing the position of a wheel upon an axle without the necessity for the use of jacks, blocks, bars, hammers, punches or the like.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character set forth which will allow the resetting of tractor wheels in a minimum of time and effort.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view taken along line l-| of Figure 2,

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the device as shown in Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the device,

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along line 1-1 of Figure 6,

Figures 8 and 9 are perspective views illustratlng certain elements of the invention, and

Figure 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line l0--l 0 of Figure 8.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown therein a hub comprising a center plate Ii) having an outer plate H and an inner plate [2 secured thereto by bolts l3 or the like. The hub is ,threadably mounted upon an axle it which is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed longitudinally extending keyways l5 and the axle l4 extends outwardlyfrom a conventional housing I6.

Formed integrally with. the inner plate I2 is an inwardly extending block l1 having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional area. The block is likewise threadably connected with the axle Hi and the narrower sides 9 are provided with inwardly extending horizontally disposed slots 18 in each of which is slidably disposed a key plate I9 each of which is provided with an outwardly extending slot 20 adjacent each end thereof and a centrally disposed keyway 2| at its outer side. The keyway 2| provided with inwardly extending shoulders 22.

The longer sides 23 of the block H are provided with horizontally extending ridges 24 adjacent each of the edges thereof and a clamp member 25 encompasses in spaced relation each of the sides 9, being removably engaged with the adjacent ridges 24.

Threaded centrally in each of the clamp members 25 is a bolt 26 which is provided with a rounded head 21 which lies in the keyway 2| and is confined therein by the shoulders 22. The outer end of each of the bolts 26 is provided with a fixed nut-head 28.

Centrally disposed in each of the sides 23 is a grease fitting 29 with a suitable passageway 30 leading to the axle l4.

Transversely extending through the block l'l adjacent each of the sides 9 is a pair of tapered openings 3| which are adapted to register with the slots 20 in the plates 19. The openings 3! are each provided with a bolt 32 which has a head 33 and a wedge 34 afiixed to one side thereof and which extends from the head 33 a distance toward a threaded end 35. The wedge diminishes in size toward the threaded end 35. Nuts 36 are provided for the bolts 32.

A stop plate 31 is aflixed by a cap screw 38 to the end of the axle l4 and is provided with inwardly extending pins 39 which engage suitable openings in the end of the axle I4.

In operation, it will be apparent that when it is desired to move a wheel to another selected position upon the axle N, that it is only necessary to remove the nuts 36 and then remove the bolts 32 from the block I'L'after which the nutheads 28 are turned to thereby move the bolts 28 outwardly. This action will lift the key plates 19 out of the keyways 15 in the axle [4 due to the fact that the heads 21 bear against-the shoulders 22 as the bolts'26 are turned in their threaded connections with the clamps 25.

The tractor engine may then be started and the proper gear enmeshed and the brakes appliedilightly to the opposite wheel. This'will cause the wheel under consideration-to vbe moved to the position desired whereupon the engine will be stopped or its gears disengaged, after which the key plates I9 aremanlpulated into position adjacent the keyways l5 and the nut heads 28 turned to force the key plates into the keyways l5. The bolts 32 are then replaced in the openings 3! in 'such'm'an'ner that'thewe'd'ges 34 are upon the inner sides'there'of; The wedges 34, bearing against the inclined faces of the openings 3! and against'the inner ends of the slots 2!] in the key plates IE will act to lock the key plates firmly in th'e keyways l5 and thus hold the hub and wheel in the position selected.

The stop plate3'1 will act to prevent the hub from accidental removal from the axle' l4 and it will be apparent that the construction of the device is such that-it'may' be used upon either end of'an axle.

While-but one form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it will be readily apparent'to those skilled in the art that'many minor modifications may be'made without'departing from" the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claim.

allymoving, said key plates with respect to the axle, transversely extending bolts removably mounted, in saidblock and wedges formed in the sides-of said' bolts and adapted to bear against the outer ends of the key plates, said means including key slots in the outer ends of said'key'plates, clamp members affixed to the block and bolts threadably mounted in said clamp-members and each having arr-inner head revolublein said key slots and an outer nut-headafilxed thereto.-

WILLIAM ABNEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inrthe file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date- 597,329 Rylander Jan. 11,1898 921,557 Mussetter May 11, 1909 2,151,045 Ploehn Mar. 21, 1939 2,182,240 Sinclair Dec. 5,1939 2,235,457 Lorirnor Mar. 18, 1941 2,324,681 Dekker July 20, 1943 

